By Jhr. mr. Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland, Justice (Judge) in the (Dutch) Court of Appeal and Honorary Special Adviser International Affairs, appointed by the Mayor and Aldermen of The Hague
Thank God so far there was no terrorist attack on The Hague. But in another way terrorism and counterterrorism are very present in our city. Since December 1, 2015, two quite new organizations on terrorism and counterterrorism have there offices combined in one building (100 Zeestraat, close to the Peace Palace): the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) and The Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF).
What are these organizations doing ?
In 2011 GCTF was founded in New York by 29 countries and the EU, in the presence of Hillary Clinton and many other Ministers of Foreign Affairs. GCTF aimes to connect governments and experts from different countries and to exchange information and knowledge on terrorism. There are six working groups: Criminal Justice and the Rule of Law, Countering Violent Extremism, Detention and Reintegration, Foreign Terrorist Fighters, Sahel Region Capacity Building and Horn of Africa Region Capacity Building.
GCTF helps to improve and train border controls and to improve countries in their general resistance against conflicts and threats and supports the UN Global Counter-Terror Strategy on regional and national level.
Already one year before, in 2010, three Dutch organizations founded ICCT: the Asser Institute, the Clingenael Insitute and the Centre for Terrorism and Counter-terrorism of the University of Leiden. ICCT is a think tank that focusses on solving problems related to terrorism but also radicalism, extremism, human rights and international law and is an independent organization.
The activities, opinions and reports do not have a political preference and do not follow any specific group or idiology. ICCT ‘translates’ analyses and expertise into advice and solutions. To connect academics, policy makers, organizations and others is essential for awareness of violent extremism and terrorism.
ICCT organises meetings in which ICCT places its knowledge at the disposal of other organizations and people. The director is the well known senior diplomat Mr. Mark Singleton, an international expert with over 25 years of experience all over the world.
ICCT and GCTF work together with the Conflict Research Unit of the Clingendael Institute.
